Scott Thomas Bealhen

Scott Thomas Bealhen died May 2nd, 2018 at age 61, after a long illness with posterior cortical atrophy, also known as Visual Variant Alzheimer’s.

A Wisconsin native, Scott was raised in Palmyra, the son of an electrician. He was stringing wires with his dad by the age of 12. Scott spent his boyhood outdoors in the Kettle Moraine Forest. Being outside is where he was always happiest. He was a bit of a prankster. One Saturday evening, he and high school buddies “borrowed” the 20 foot tall fiberglass mascot chicken from Cold Spring Eggs, a chicken farm outside of town, and settled it in the one and only intersection of downtown Palmyra. All of this while driving his dad’s bright yellow Bealhen Electric work truck. They wondered why they didn’t get away with it...  By age 19, Scott was married, a father, and a framer. By age 22 he was running his own framing crew.  He became the largest framing contractor in the Milwaukee area. He had a standing rule; if it was 5°F or warmer, they worked. With age comes wisdom. In 1992, at age 36, Scott moved his family to Albuquerque and started Bealhen Construction, Inc. His custom homebuilding business grew rapidly and he became very active with the local Home Builder’s Association. He was President in 1999 and received numerous accolades and awards along the way for his outstanding quality and workmanship. Scott was a credit to his industry and also served at the Home Builder Association’s State and National levels. His association with Builder 20, an elite group of builders from across the country, was of exceptional importance to him. Great men, great builders, and great friendships.

Scott was the very proud father of three girls. After working long hours every week, on the weekends in summer he loved taking them boating and waterskiing. Come wintertime, he loaded up the girls and their friends and took them all snow skiing.  He was the dad that taught everybody how to ski.  Scott was also an ace on the moguls!!  In addition, he enjoyed hunting and taught his most outdoorsy daughter, Paula, how to hunt and find her way back to the car.  She is still the person you want to be lost in the woods with.  In later years he took up mountaineering and mountain biking. He thrived on challenge and faced life with a positive outlook and a great (sometime wicked) sense of humor. Scott used to quote a line to his girls, “If you get the choice to sit it out or dance, DANCE.” He used every minute of every day.  After his diagnosis, he made a further commitment to never give the day away and even as his illness progressed he embraced life with everything he had. His wife, Lisa, always asked him, “How much do I love you?” The answer was “As BIG as the sky.” He heard it till the day he died along with the simple prayer she used to help him recite, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Scott’s faith was strong. He is at peace and in God’s loving arms.

Scott is survived by his wife and companion of 19 years, Lisa; his beautiful daughters, Tawnya, Paula and Marci; mother of his girls, Patricia Bealhen-Etzel; son-in-laws he was proud to have, Tim and Joshua; four perfect grandchildren, Laney, Lawton, Haoron and Tess; and his siblings, Debbie, Pam, Mark and Todd. Scott was preceded in death by his parents, Phil and Rose Bealhen.  A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018, 2:00 p.m. at FRENCH - Lomas.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to El Ranchitos de Los Ninos, at www.elranchitonm.org or mail to 2 Puesta Del Sol, Los Lunas, NM  87031. The founder of this wonderful organization was a miracle in our life during a difficult time and we would like to pay it forward.